EXCLUSIVE: Graham King’s GK Films has won a spirited auction for feature film rights to the Broadway musical Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice will write the script. King and GK Films partner Tim Headington will produce. The deal was described as “groundbreaking;” I’m told it was a substantial seven-figures. The play tells the story of how Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi went from blue-collar wrong side of the track origins to become an American pop sensation, selling 175 million records worldwide before they were 30 years old. The play has done over $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales since its 2005 Broadway opening, when it was directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Dodger Theatricals. It won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and the cast album won the Grammy. When it transplanted to London, Jersey Boys won the 2009 Olivier Award for Best Musical.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, chased the movie rights to the musical, which were brokered by ICM’s Jeff Berg, The Four Seasons’ rep Peter Bennett and attorney Ken Ziffren. The film will use the music and lyrics of the group’s standards, including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Rag Doll, Oh What A Night, and Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You. Rumors had DreamWorks pursuing it for Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone chasing it, and Warner Bros pursuing for producer Donald De Line, and Fox and Peter Chernin. Speculation is that GK had an edge because of its close relationship with Martin Scorsese, a hero of the group’s leader, Valli. But I’m told that Scorsese isn’t involved now. Though, how cool might that be?

Jersey Boys becomes the latest of several hits that are percolating as movies. The genre got a giant shot in the arm thanks to Mamma Mia!, which grossed north of $600 million worldwide for Universal Pictures and Playtone. Playtone is separately developing a screen version of the Green Day musical American Idiot, and Universal is working on a film based on In the Heights, and has started progress on a movie version of its stage blockbuster Wicked.

Recent Comments

Love the idea of the movie. I always want to see the play but never got around...

Mike D

3 years

Just like Jersey Boys, this movie will be an absolute smash!!!!

Philip Elms

3 years

A few more thoughts following my previous posting. There's been much speculation about who might be cast...

GK just produced the Ben Affleck-directed The Town, wrapped the Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie-starrer The Tourist and the Gore Verbinski-directed Rango, is in production on the Martin Scorsese-directed Hugo Cabret and is readying a film about Queen singer Freddie Mercury that will star Sacha Baron Cohen. King saw Jersey Boys around the time that it opened, and he has been chasing the movie rights incessantly ever since. As is common with cash-cow musicals, this one stayed off the market for years. That changed six weeks ago, when Berg and Ziffren informed suitors that screen rights were up for grabs.

“Jersey Boys is one of the most electrifying stage shows any of us has ever seen and it has all the ingredients to become a big commercial hit movie,” King said. “So to now be collaborating with the whole team, Frankie, Bob, Marshall and Rick, to bring that magic to the big screen is just a wonderful dream come true,” he said.

Said Valli and Gaudio in a statement: “We are extremely excited about the passion and commitment expressed by GK Films to take Jersey Boys to another level. Graham King has been a believer from day one. We are in good hands.”

54 Comments

I’d rather watch WE WILL ROCK YOU, the motion picture. Everyone on this planet loves Queen’s songs

CARMINE • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Hey Mark, get in touch with reality because what gives you the authority to say everyone likes Queen’s music? That’s an absolutist statement and the 8 billion people or more who live in this world sure have not asked you to qualify them.Jersey Boys has become a worldwide phenomina whether you like it or not.Having said that everyone has a right to like what they want and don’ need one mouthpiece to decide their tastes.

andrew • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

about to hit 7 billion, not ‘8 billion or more’. Maybe get your facts right before critiquing someone else’s comments?

Yorker • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

I’m glad that Elice and Brickman will write the screenplay so they can maintain the style of the show and not make it a standard biopic.

Caio • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

NO NO NO! This play sucks =~

Wicked, In THe Heights and American Idiot can end up being good movies, though. I’d also love to see a Next To Normal film.

By the way, what are the most recent news on the Spring Awakening Movie?

I would never sink money into IN THE HEIGHTS. It was never a break out hit, and it’s not in a league with Jersey boys or Wicked. Save your money GK films, and don’t do In the heights. I have one word for you RENT. As a musical, great as a movie, sucked.
Yes – Wicked
Yes – Jersey Boys
No – In the Heights
I have Spokane….

McBitchy • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Scorsese was interested in directing it when it first hit big on Broadway. May have changed his mind now, but the Graham King connection could keep the possibility alive. Regardless of who directs it, they gotta find a cameo for Joe Pesci.

julieb • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

this was a great musical, with a phenomenal book and bulletproof
score.
i will see this so much sooner than a Beach Boys silly
romp in the sand. Gidget run for cover!!

T.Kreslin • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Love love love the play, but don’t like the idea of a Jersey Boys movie. I just don’t think it could match the play.

Wilma Hunt • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

This is fantastic news and I hope no one ruins it. There is only one STAR that should be getting the lead roll. That is the original jersey boy, JOHN LLOYD YOUNG. If he isn’t assigned that roll I probably won’t see it and I think I am speaking for all of his many fans.
Thanks for the chance to comment.

Wilma Hunt
California

Carol • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

I agree, John Llyod Young should have the lead roll in the movie. Saw him on Broadway in Jersey Boys and he should be considered.

kim knight • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Sorry but there is only ONE Jersey Boy who should play Frankie and that is Ryan Molloy he is a fabulous actor and impossible to replace.

bounder • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

The musical’s not great, but the songs are and this might actually work better on screen than on stage (I don’t know why I think that, just an opinion). Good luck!!

Denise • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Wilma…………the ORIGINAL JERSEY BOY is Frankie Valli himself….John Lloyd Young, although very talented, is just his understudy!!

Deborah • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

I love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and I can’t wait for the movie JERSEY BOYS! I have been a fan of his for many years! This movie is going to be the best!!! Best Wishes !!!!

gina demaio • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

OMG I CAN NOT WAIT!! MY HUSBAND AND I SAW THE PLAY 3 TIMES, OUR KIDS BOTH CAME WITH US AND LOVED IT ALSO!! WE WANT TO GO AGAIN SOON! I HAVE NEVER GONE TO A THE SAME PLAY MORE THAN ONCE BEFORE JERSEY BOYS BUT WHEN IT IS OVER ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IS WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT NEXT! THE BEST PLAY EVERRRRR…I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE THE MOVIE!! I HOPE THE CAST WILL BE THE FIRST CAST THAT WAS ON BRAODWAY!! THEY WERE THE BEST AND JOHN LLOYD YOUNG IS THE BEST FRANKIE VALLI OUT OF THEM ALL!!

I’m not sure how good a film this would be. The musical worked but the story is pretty thin. They originally billed it as a singing version of Goodfellas but it doesn’t really have the story arc. Yes, the mafia is involved but that’s only a small part of the tale. Is Des McAnuff involved in the film? I think he’d do a great job as a producer or director.

roger • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

It cant fail,its the sound of the seasons !!!!!

joe • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

It will be a smash.

michael savoie • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Des McAnuff should direct it. He directed the stage show; he has the movie making chops and Elice, Brickman and Des created it….Who could be better?

Rebecca Paterson • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Ooooh very exciting! Will be great to see how they do it ,sure it’ll be amazing;)

Butz • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

As long as they ask Stephen Ashfield to play Bob Gaudio it’s fine with me!

Helen Mesquita • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Seen the play several times…it’s great, the cast in London is fabulous….and Ryan has won an award for Frankie, all of the actors are great, but if you like the play and the music just decide to see the film…it’s a great story as well so can’t wait for the film….

lisa hooper • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Stephen Ahsfield is perfect and having seen both original American Valli and Ryan Molloy, my money is on Molloy who is spine tingling in all departments. Great on screen image will make the ladies weep!

Donna Salamone • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

John Lloyd Young is the only person that can do justice to the role of Frankie Valli.

bimakelo • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

I’ve seen the NY and London shows (London 3 times), and the only contender for movie Frankie is Ryan Molloy with Stephen Ashfield as Gaudio. No contest.

Ray • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Although the music will exhilerate, the mood of this film should be dark. Combining the two will be a challenge. Scorcese knows how to do this with lighting/mood etc.

It can’t be a “Momma Mia” with a little more bite, or it will fail.

It should afford the actors to raise themselves to Academy Award type performances. Only then will it work.

I would like to see a kind of “Walk The Line” with dim lighting and
memorable lines.

I think Pesci should play Gyp. Actors who will play The Four Seasons should be picked from those who are due for a breakout performance.

Ray

Patzie • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

Mamma Mia was Soooo disappointing as a film (saw the show 3 times).
I have seen the London Jersey Boys 4 times but not with the two new cast members yet so my 5th time is due soon. I assume they will stick close to the Jersy Boys plot and not the actual Seasons life story which would be far more interesting but not such light entertainment, shame because Frankie has been through so much more heartbreak in his life than the show portrays and yet still bounced back, this message would be a good lesson for all who find todays pressures difficult to handle. – Good luck to the actor who gets Frankie’s role as he will never be mistaken for the real thing.

w. trotter • on Oct 6, 2010 12:54 pm

i would love to see Ryan Molloy of the London cast in the star role an excellent choice all round